Baggage carrier



Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,056

G. H. WHEARY BAGGAGE CARRIER F1195 Sept. 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 if," ll will In.

Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HENRY WHEARY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO WHEARY TRUNK 00.,

' OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

BAGGAGE CARRIER.

Application filed September 15, 1924. Serial No. 737,824.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in baggage carriers and refers more particularly to that type having hingedly connected sections.

Heretotorebaggage carriers of the smaller size, such as the steamer trunk, having a wardrobe section, have been objectionable in that it is necessary to fold the garments at their lower ends inasmuch as the wardrobe section is but approximately thirty-two inches in height, and this invention has as one of its objects the provision of a novel type of trunk wherein the height or the trunk is not increased but, atthe same time, the overall length of the wardrobe section is increased to that of a standard size trunk to permit hanging of garments in the wardrobe section thereof without necessitating folding of the lower ends thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a baggage carrier having a wardrobe section, the inner broad side of which is open position.

This invention has as another object the provision of a baggage carrier of the character described having a wardrobe section, the bottom of which is extended laterally to permit thegarments to pass thereinto.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a cushion member adapted to be engaged with the ends of garments extended into the compartment projected from the wardrobe section to prevent their becoming wrinkled.

further object of this invention resides in the provision of a baggage carrier of the character described having a member for confining the lower ends of: the garments in the wardrobe bottom extension which member provides a closure for said extension.

And a still further object of this invention is'to provide a baggage carrier having means for guiding the lower ends of the garments into the extension member.

\Vith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings. I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a baggage carrier embodying my invention, the parts thereof being swung to open position;

Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view taken vertically through the wardrobe section of the baggage carrier;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 a slightly modified form of my invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the closure and cushion member for the wardrobe section extension, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable supports for the closure and cushion member ofthe wardrobe section extension member.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views; the numeral 10 designates the wardrobe section of the baggage carrier of the smaller or steamer trunk type, and 11 the drawer or compartment section thereof.

The wardrobe sect-ion has side panels 12 and 13, a rear wall or panel 1 1 and a bottom wall 15, and in that form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the top is open and adapted to be closed by a hinged cover 16 connected with the rear panel or wall 14 by a hinge fitting 17. The hinged cover is secured in closed position by engagement of its male dowel member 18 with a female dowel member 19 carried by the top 20 of the section 1.1. The section 11 has side panels 21 and 22, a rear wall panel 23 and a bottom 24- and themarginal edge of its panel 21 is hingedly connected with the marginal edges of the other section side panels 12 by a suitable hinge fitting 25.

The trunk sections are locked by closing the hinged top 16 and then swinging the section 11 on its hinge to engage the marginal edges of the panels 12 and 21, and 18 and 22, respectively, a. hasp lock member 26 being carried by the panel 22 of the section 11 for engagement with a keeper 27 fixed to the panel 13 of section 10. A dust and moisture proof connection is provided between the sections by the dowels 18 and 19 which are of the continuous type, the hinge fit ing 25, which is also preferably of the continuous type, and interlocking continuous dowel members 28 and 29, carried by the panels 18 and 22, re-

- spcctively.

The section 11 is preferably of less height than the section to bring its bottom on a higher plane than the bottom of the wardrobe section and facilitate the opening and closing moven'ients ot' the section 11. An extension member 30, of a height substantially equal to the distance the bottom of the section 11 is spaced above the bottom of the section 10, is formed on the lower opened side of the wardrobe section and the section 10 is movable t-hereover to closed position, the member 30 being in appearance a substantially continuation of the section 11 when closed.

The extension member 30 is formed by continuing the bottom of the section 10 beyond the marginal edges of the side panels and extending the lower portions of the panels 13 and 12 at the lower ends thereof or providing extensions 31 which are connected by a front panel 32. The average height of the wardrobe sections of baggage carriers of the steamer type is approximately thirty-two inches, whereas the average height of the standard wardrobe trunk is forty inches. The additional eight inches aiiorded by the standard wardrobe trunk is suflicient to permit the hangingof garments without folding the lower ends thereof, whereas in the steamer type of trunk it has been necessary to fold the lower ends of the garments causing wrinkling thereof.

By providing the extension member which communicates with the wardrobe section, the desired additional eight inches is provided and the garments may be hung in the wardrobe section with their lower ends extended into the extension without being folded. The garments are prevented from being crushed into an abrupt corner at the juncture between the rear wall 14 and the bottom 15, and are guided into the extension member, by a curved member or deflector 33 and the lower ends of the garments are firmly held against shifting in the extension member by a cushion member 34.

The cushion member 34 may be similar to the cushion member 35, carried by the hinged top 16 which engages against the upper portion of the garments, and is carried by a member or closure 36 which, in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is connected with the panel 32 near its marginal edge by a hinge 37. The cushion member 34 extends over the inner end of the closure 36, as at 38, so that the garments are held from being wrinkled at the point they enter the member 30.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figures 8 to 5, the inner end 38 of the cushion 34 may be adjusted with respect to the rear of the wardrobe section depending on the number of garments supported in the wardrobe section. This adjustment is aiiorded by pivots or trunnions 39 extended from the sides of the closure 36 at its inner ends and adapted to be selectively engaged in notches 40 in the inner sides 41 of channel supports 42 secured to the panels 31 of the extension member.

In packing the wardrobe section of a trunk, the garments are hung from a trolley device 43 secured in the top portion thereof by hangers 44, the lower portions of the garments extending into the member 30 and being protect-edirom being wrinkled in the lower portion of the sect-ion by the deflector 33. W hen the wardrobe section has been packed, closure 36 is then swung to'its position illustrated in Figure 2, the cushion member 34 resting on the garments to hold them from shitting, In that form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3, the closure 36 is adjustable with respect to the rear wall of the section to accommodate the same for any number of garments hung in the wardrobe section.

The closure 34 closes the section 30 and the section 11 of the wardrobe trunk is movable thereover to closed position as above described, the panels of the section 80 and the panels of the section 11 forming substantial continuations of each other when the trunk is closed to present a neat unbroken appearance. The trunk is strengthened at the juncture of the sect-ion 11 and the member 80 and held against spreading under stress by interlocle mg means carried by the meeting edges of the panels or walls thereof.

A band or flange 45 is mounted on the edge of the side panel 31 forming a continuatlon oi the panel 12 and has a longitudinal groove or channel 46 formed in its outer face to receive a bead or rib 47 formed on a valance strip or flange 48 carried by and extended fromthe lower marginal edges of the panels 21 and 22 of the section 11, when the trunk is closed. The flange 45 is preferably bent from a single length of metal and the panels to which the same is secured are cut back, as at 49, to position the flange inwardly on the outer face of the panels and permit the outer face of the valance 48 to be flush with the outer surfaces of the panels.

The valance is also preferably formed from a single length byfolding the same upon itself longitudinallyand forming the rib or bead 47 on the inner fold or portion thereof whereby? the outer face of the valance is unbroken. The marginal edges of the panels to which the Valance strip 48 is secured are recessed or cut back in order to bring the outer surface or face of the valance strip flush therewith.

Mounted on the corner of the member 30 at the juncture of the panels 32 and the panel 81 carried by the panel 13, is a corner piece 50 having a portion 51 overlying the top of said corner and having a flange 45 extended upwardly from its inner end in which a chan nel or groove 46 is formed which registers with the groove 46 to provide a continuation thereof around the corner of the member 30. Secured to the lower corner of the section 11 at the juncture of its panels 22 and 23 is a corner piece 52 which has a portion, not shown, struck inwardly to ride over the portion 51 of the corner piece 50 and provided with a bead or rib, not shown, in alignment with the bead or rib 47 which is engageable in the groove of the corner piece 50 when the sections are closed to prevent spreading thereof under stress, A flange 45 is secured along the lower edge of the panel 22 in the groove 46 of which the rib or bead a? of a valance member 48 secured to the side panel 31 forming a continuation extended from the panel 13 is engageable.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an i vention of this character appertains that I provide a novel bag-' gage carrier of the steamer or smaller type having a space for receiving a garment, the inside length of which is equal to that of a full size trunk or baggage carrier; which will be strong and durable to withstand the hard usage to which baggage carriers are subjected, and one in which the appearance is in nowise marred.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a baggage carrier having a compartment in which garments are adapted to be placed, a cushioned member at each end of said compartment and adapted to bear upon the garments therein to hold the same in extended position within the compartment.

2. In a baggage carrier having a compartment in which garments are adapted to be hung, a cushioned member hingedly con nected to said compartment and adapted to bear upon the free end portions of the garments to hold them in extended position within the compartment.

3. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and over which the other" section is movable to closed position and providing a compartment to receive a portion of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, and means carried by the member for holding the ends of the garments disposed therein.

4. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and over which the other section is movable to closed position and providing a compartment to receive a portion of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, and hinged means connected to the member for holding the ends of the garments disposed therein.

5. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and over which the other section is movable to closed position and providing a compartn'ient to receive a portion of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, and cushion means carried by the member for holding the ends of the garments disposed therein.

6. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and over which the other section is movable to closed position and providing a compartment toreceive a portion of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, and adjustable means carried by the member for holding the ends of the garments disposed therein against accidental shift-ing.

7. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections and a member extended from one section and over which the other section is movable to closed position and providing a compartment to receive a portion of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, and a cover closing the top of said compartment and adapted to hold the portions of the garments therein.

8. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and providing a compartment to receive therein a part of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, a coverclosing the top of said compartment, and means carried by the cover adapted to press against garments disposed in said member compartment to prevent their shifting during the handling of the trunk.

9. A baggage carrier, comprising two hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and providing a compartment to receive therein a part of the garments hung in the section to which said member is connected, a. cover closing the top of said compartment, and means hingedly connecting-the outer portion of the cover with said member, whereby the cover may press lUU against the portions of garments disposed in said compartment to prevent their accidental shiftin 10. A baggage carrier, comprising two 5 hingedly connected sections, a member extended from one section and providing a compartment to receive therein a part of the ments hung in the section to which said mem ber is connected a cover closing the top of said compartment, and adjustable means hingedly connecting the outer portion of the cover with said member, whereby the cover may press against the portions of garments disposed in said compartment to prevent their accident-a1 shifting.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE HENRY WVHEARY. 

